Diane James reveals leading Ukip was like banging her head 'against a brick wall'

Diane James has revealed she quit as Ukip leader after only 18 days because she felt she was banging her head “against a brick wall”.

The former Ukip MEP stood down in October after claiming she did not "have sufficient authority, nor the full support" of Ukip MEPs and officers to reform the party.

Speaking to BBC Radio 5 Live Daily she said it was the party's “old guard” that forced her out of the job.

"One can obviously continue to bang your head against a brick wall, going to bed at night hoping things might change and that you might be able to make a breakthrough,” she said.

"But when it became clear I couldn't make that breakthrough, I felt it was the right decision for me and the credibility of the party that someone else assume the mantle."

Asked if she struggled to get rid of Ukip's "old guard", the now independent MEP replied: "Yes, that's a very good description."

Diane James arriving at the UKIP ConferenceCredit:
Heathcliff O'Malley

When she announced her decision Mr Farage described it as "an act of irrational selfishness" and Ms James has disclosed that she has not spoken to Nigael Farage since.

She also confessed the kiss from Mr Farage when she won the leadership had been “awkward”.

Adding: "Nigel and I spoke just before I went on stage and he said, 'Look this is what we're going to do. The plan is I'm going to give you a greeting and there's going to be a kiss on the cheek'.

Nigel Farage Credit:
Telegraph magazine

"And we agreed which side the kiss was going to be. But anyway something happened... I went to him with the appointed cheek and he went the other way... That's why there was a little bit of awkwardness."

Her sudden departure fueled speculation she had stepped down because of her husband's ill health.

However, she told the BBC: "My husband was not very ill, and neither was he at death's door, and it was quite frankly irresponsible journalism.

"By concocting a story and deciding that family illness could be a factor, that story then effectively grew, developed legs and went viral, and it caused an immense amount of upset and anxiety and unhappiness."